Is My Fear Silly?
by tinylexie
Summary: Narcissa feels silly when she accidentally confesses to Lucius that she's terrified of heights. Lucius tries to make her feel better by telling her about his own "silly" fear.


**Author's Note****: This takes place sometime during Lucius's and Narcissa's Hogwarts years.**

* * *

It was the weekend, and Narcissa had decided to spend some time just walking the grounds. It was a beautiful day, after all.

As Narcissa was walking past a tree, she suddenly heard a very familiar voice say from above her, "Hello, Narcissa."

Narcissa looked up, and she saw that Lucius was sitting in the tree, looking comfortable and completely at ease.

Lucius wasn't that high up, but he was high enough that it was enough to make Narcissa feel slightly dizzy, despite the fact that she was standing firmly on solid ground.

Narcissa placed a hand on her stomach and tried to ignore the queasy feeling that had suddenly developed.

"Would you like to come up here and join me?" Lucius offered.

"Um, I really don't know how to climb trees," Narcissa replied, trying her best not to sound nervous, "but thanks for the offer."

_Don't think about the breakfast you just ate,_ she told herself.

"That's fine," Lucius spoke. "I can come down."

Then, to Narcissa's complete horror, Lucius just dropped down from the tree, without grabbing onto any of the branches for support.

"You could have hurt yourself," Narcissa told him.

"There's nothing to worry about, Narcissa," Lucius grinned at her. "I do that all the time."

Narcissa just looked at him with a horrified expression on her face.

"What's wrong, Narcissa?" Lucius asked in concern. "I promise I wasn't trying to show off or anything like that. But if it bothers you this much, I won't do it again in front of you."

Narcissa looked up at the tree, looking at the exact spot where Lucius had been siting just moments ago. It was so high up.

Before she could stop herself, Narcissa swayed slightly on her feet, and she felt something catching in her throat.

_You're not going to throw up,_ she told herself. _What would Lucius think of you then?_

Lucius immediately reached out to steady her. "I think I'm starting to understand now," he said. "You don't like heights."

"Am I really that obvious?" Narcissa mumbled, still feeling like she was about to be sick.

"Just a little," Lucius smiled, "but don't worry about it. Everyone has something they don't like."

"It's worse than me just disliking heights," Narcissa blurted out without thinking. "I'm _terrified_ of heights."

Lucius looked at Narcissa in surprise. "I had no idea," he said softly.

"I know, it's silly," Narcissa spoke. "Good ahead, laugh."

"But I don't think it's silly at all," Lucius responded. "You're just not used to being up in a tree, that's all."

"That's easy for you to say," Narcissa grumbled. "You don't have any silly fears."

The only good thing that Narcissa could think of was that her stomach had settled down quite a bit. She no longer felt like she was about to lose her breakfast right at Lucius's feet.

* * *

Lucius looked around to make sure they were alone.

"So," he then said, "you wouldn't think it silly if I told you that I'm absolutely terrified of walls."

Narcissa looked at Lucius for a long moment, trying to determine if he was being serious.

But Lucius had never before mocked her, which meant that he had to be serious.

* * *

"Walls?" Narcissa finally spoke. "But if that was the case, wouldn't you be terrified all the time? We spend most of our time surrounded by walls, both here at Hogwarts and at home. But I have never seen you looking uncomfortable."

Lucius shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Most of the time, I'm fine," he finally said. "Even in the classrooms, when the door is closed. I mean, the room isn't that small, so it doesn't exactly feel closed off. And most of the classrooms have windows, so I can see outside. And when I'm down in the dungeons for Potions or when I'm in our Common Room, I concentrate on studying or doing homework, and I always remind myself that the door is unlocked. So, I can get out whenever I want. I'm not trapped.

"I guess it's mostly small rooms with closed doors that I don't like because I'm always afraid that the door might be locked, and that I won't be able to get out. And I know that's silly. I mean, I know that most of the doors around here are unlocked, so there's no reason for me to be afraid that they might be locked. This is a school, after all, not a prison."

Lucius laughed humorlessly. He then looked around. "Out here is different, though. There are no walls that can close in around me. I know it sounds silly, but when I'm alone in the dark in a small room, I feel like the walls are moving closer and closer towards me."

It was now Narcissa's turn to shift uncomfortably. Suddenly, heights didn't seem all that terrifying to her.

"Are you all right?" Lucius asked in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine," Narcissa managed to smile. "I just didn't know you felt that way."

"It's not something I really want anyone knowing about," Lucius mumbled. "I don't want anyone thinking that it would be funny to lock me in a closet."

"I won't tell anyone," Narcissa promised. "I feel the same way. After all, I wouldn't want anyone thinking that it would be funny to stick me up in a tree."

"I guess you don't feel so silly any more," Lucius attempted to grin, even though it was clearly weak and very forced.

"No, I don't," Narcissa agreed, "but I don't think you should feel silly either. I like windows as well. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to place our Common Room down in the dungeons clearly didn't know what they were thinking. Just because we're snakes doesn't mean we don't like to see the world outside. And we need air just as much as anyone else does."

"I appreciate those words more than you could ever realize, Narcissa," Lucius responded. "I'm so glad that I can be this honest with you without fear of being judged or mocked. It's hard enough sometimes that I have to pretend so much with the rest of the world, but at least I don't have to pretend with you. And that's such a relief to me."

"I feel the same way," Narcissa returned, allowing herself a slight smile.

With Lucius, she could be herself.

And she was glad that Lucius felt the same way when it came to him being with her.


End file.
